MASAKA — Residents of Masaka have accused State Minister for Local Government and Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament Justine Nameere of failing the very principles of transparency and accountability that her ministry expects local government leaders to uphold, intensifying pressure on the minister despite President Yoweri Museveni’s reported intervention to settle outstanding debts claimed by suppliers.
The public outcry erupted during a community engagement meeting attended by Balaam Barugahara, where aggrieved suppliers, service providers and residents openly confronted Nameere over allegations that she had failed to pay for goods and services delivered during her political activities.
Among the complainants was Namwere Sissy, a coffee seedling supplier, who alleged that she supplied coffee seedlings worth UGX150 million but had never been paid despite repeated demands. Other creditors, including printing companies that produced campaign materials and vehicle owners who transported supporters during Nameere’s campaigns, also claimed they remain unpaid.
The confrontation prompted President Museveni to reportedly intervene and pledge to clear the outstanding debts, a move many suppliers welcomed as a possible end to a dispute that had dragged on for years.
However, for many residents, the President’s intervention has only shifted the debate from unpaid debts to questions of leadership, transparency and personal accountability.
“We appreciate the President for stepping in because people deserve to be paid,” one resident said during the meeting. “But should the Head of State really be resolving personal debts of a minister? That is the question Ugandans are asking.”
Another resident said the controversy had undermined public confidence in the leadership expected from a minister responsible for strengthening accountability in local governments.
“Local government leaders are constantly reminded to be transparent and accountable. Those same values should begin with leaders at the top,” the resident said.
The controversy has generated particular concern because the Ministry of Local Government routinely carries out inspections across districts, demanding prudent financial management, transparency and accountability from local authorities.
Political observers argue that the allegations against Nameere have placed her in the difficult position of defending her own conduct while serving in a ministry that regularly calls others to account.
“A public office holder is judged not only by policies they promote but by the example they set,” one governance analyst observed. “Leadership requires consistency. Citizens expect ministers who preach accountability to demonstrate it in their own affairs.”
The latest controversy also revives previous public scrutiny surrounding Nameere’s financial conduct. In 2019, she was involved in a civil debt dispute over a motor vehicle that resulted in court execution proceedings, while earlier this year she was briefly detained following her election victory before being released after President Museveni reportedly intervened, saying the arrest had been based on false intelligence.
Although the President’s latest intervention may ultimately ensure that suppliers receive payment, residents insist it does not answer the broader questions surrounding the minister’s handling of the matter.
“The issue is bigger than money,” another resident remarked. “It is about honesty, responsibility and whether leaders are prepared to live by the same standards they demand from others.”
As pressure continues to mount, attention is now focused on whether Nameere will publicly respond to the allegations and explain why suppliers claim they waited until presidential intervention before seeing hope of recovering their money.
For many in Masaka, Museveni’s pledge may resolve the financial dispute. Still, they say restoring public trust will require something only the minister herself can provide: clear answers, transparency and accountability.